Thrift Store Assistant
Location: 187 High House Road, Cary, NC
Organization: NeighborUp
Job Type: Full-time or Part-Time
Pay: Starting at $16.00 per hour, with potential for higher starting pay based on experience and skills
About NeighborUp
NeighborUp was formed in 2025 through a merger of two long standing nonprofits in the local community, Dorcas Ministries of Cary and Western Wake Crisis Ministry of Apex. This merger has strengthened service delivery across Western and most of Southern Wake County, ensuring broader access to food, increased opportunities for financial assistance and case management, expanded workforce development, and enhanced advocacy opportunities.
Since 1968, Dorcas Ministries has partnered with the Cary and Morrisville community to support neighbors in need through services such as financial and emergency food assistance, career coaching, and workforce development. Our highly regarded thrift store provides affordable goods and generates vital funding for these programs. Guided by our core values of compassion, dignity, innovation, and stewardship, and supported by more than 1,000 volunteers, we work to help our neighbors thrive.
Western Wake Crisis Ministry was formed in 1983 with support from local churches in response to a need in the Apex community. Their initial focus was basic crisis assistance and has grown to expand offerings that include financial services and a food pantry. The service area also expanded beyond Apex over time to include the communities of Fuquay Varina, Holly Springs, Willow Spring, New Hill, and Friendship.
About the Role
Thrift Store Assistants are key members of our Retail Operations team and serve as front-line ambassadors for NeighborUp’s thrift store location (Dorcas Thrift Shop) in Cary, NC. This is a very high-volume, public-facing role where you will be on your feet and moving for your entire shift. The ideal candidate is energized by constant customer interaction, resilient in a busy environment, and able to stay calm, courteous, and firm when situations require it. This position is well-suited for individuals who enjoy active work, working with the public, and contributing to a mission-driven nonprofit.
Schedule, Pay, and Benefits
Schedule:
Store operates Monday through Saturday.
Core business hours: 8:30am – 6:30pm.
Shifts may start as early as 7:00am and end as late as 8:00pm.
Saturday availability is required.
Pay and frequency:
Starting at $16.00 per hour, depending on experience and skill level.
Bi-weekly pay through direct deposit
Breaks:
A 30-minute lunch break is provided for shifts over 6 hours.
Benefits:
All employees above the age of 18 and older are eligible to participate in a 401(k) plan.
Full-time employees are eligible for health, dental, vision, and paid time off (PTO).
Specific benefits eligibility and details will be reviewed during the hiring process.
Key Responsibilities
Provide friendly, efficient checkout service at the cash register, accurately handling transactions, and maintaining composure during sustained rushes and long lines.
Engage with a wide variety of customers at the Vintage/Jewelry counter and on the sales floor, answering questions, setting clear boundaries when needed, and handling concerns with professionalism.
Greet customers at the front entrance and help create a welcoming, positive shopping environment throughout a very busy day.
Serve as a fitting room attendant by managing fitting room usage, unlocking doors, counting and tracking items going in and out, enforcing limits, and returning unwanted items neatly to the sales floor.
Restock and recover the sales floor continuously during the shift, maintaining neat, organized, and safe merchandise displays while managing a large volume of items.
Assist with processing a high volume of donated inventory, including sorting, tagging, and moving merchandise to the sales floor quickly and safely.
Support daily opening and closing procedures as assigned by Store Managers or designated staff.
Follow safety and cleanliness standards to maintain a safe, healthy environment for customers, volunteers, and staff.
Collaborate with Store Managers, staff, and volunteers to ensure front-of-house tasks are completed in a customer-focused, efficient manner.
Perform other related duties as assigned based on store needs.
Shifts may involve working in a single primary role (such as cashiering or donation processing) or rotating between multiple roles within the same shift.
Qualifications
16 or older, required.
Previous experience in retail, thrift, nonprofit, or other high-volume customer service environments preferred.
Fluency in English required.
Fluency in Spanish strongly preferred.
We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds who are committed to excellent customer service and community impact.
Skills and Competencies
Strong customer service skills; approachable, friendly, and able to engage with customers and volunteers in a respectful and professional manner.
Confident and steady when working with the general public, including the ability to handle occasional difficult interactions with empathy, professionalism, and appropriate firmness.
Resilient and even-tempered in a high-volume, fast-paced, sometimes stressful environment.
Comfortable making and enforcing clear, polite boundaries related to store policies, safety, and procedures.
Effective verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to work cooperatively with volunteers, staff, and customers from diverse backgrounds.
Flexible and adaptable; able to shift between cashiering, floor recovery, donation processing, and other tasks as priorities change.
Comfortable learning and using computer applications and retail systems, including point-of-sale (POS) systems.
Ability and willingness to learn how to train new volunteers and staff on basic tasks and procedures.
Ability to operate standard office and retail equipment.
Physical and Work Environment Requirements
Ability and willingness to be on your feet, standing and walking on hard surfaces, for the entire shift.
Ability to lift and move items weighing up to 40 pounds repeatedly during the day.
Frequent bending, reaching, carrying, and moving merchandise or donated items.
Ability to work in both a busy retail sales floor and a warehouse/backroom environment, and outdoor areas that can be subject to varying weather conditions (heat, cold, light rain, etc.).
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.
Our Work Environment
The Dorcas Thrift Shop, a member of the NeighborUp Network, is a very busy, high-traffic environment serving a large number of customers and processing substantial donations every day. Team members must enjoy staying active, being on their feet all day, and interacting with the general public continuously. We are looking for dependable, team-oriented individuals who bring a positive, “can do” attitude and can remain calm, kind, and appropriately firm under pressure while supporting our mission to serve neighbors in need.
How to Apply
To apply for the Thrift Store Assistant position:
Complete the NeighborUp online application as directed in the posting.
We are unable to respond to phone or walk-in inquiries regarding application status. The posting will remain open until all needed positions are filled.
